Menokreatikkul; Saturday Stitches

I battle on with the cottons...

Here is a glimpse of a larger WIP that could be a month away from completion - mainly because I keep getting distracted by smaller inter-WIPs...

I mainly took that image because it was in a sunpuddle, and they are as precious as the gold represented here!

Anyhoo... I'll tell you that cotton story at a later date. Once I laid that down a little over a week ago, I was determined to use up more of the stash in some mini-scarves.

First, a knit in the basic popular stitching, but adding a central panel with basket weave patterning. I could have made this a tad longer, but that said, as you'll see in another photo below, it works well as a headscarf, and is the better for not having too long wings. At the neck, it could be worn single, but then the pattern would be at the back, losing impact.

This is, once again, a mercerised cotton, but so different from the light blue stuff used earlier. Much more silky and way easier to work with. A little finer, too. I worked this on 3mm needles. For the knitters among you, this is really no great challenge: cast on two stitches, work seven rows garter, then increase by knit front then back (kfb demo vid) of the second (or fourth) stitch from the start of the eighth row. I used a stitch marker at each increase row to keep track.

If you desire the I-cord look to the edges, then slip the last three stitches on each row purl-wise. You can vary this by only slipping one, or up to five, though I'd only do the wider one on fingering or lace yarns. 

For all garter stitch, keep increasing until you have the length/width that you desire - for longer wings and a more gentle angle, increase at every tenth or twelfth instead. At that full point (I opted for thirty-six stitches, but I don't have a long neck...), start then to decrease on each eighth (or your chosen number) row, working down to two stitches. 

The centre decorative panel was worked without any inc/dec stitching: knit first three of each row and slip-purl at end of each row to maintain the I-cord, but make patches of ten stitches each of knit and purl stocking stitch for ten rows each.

Using the same yarn, I then worked a longer item in single crochet (UKdc). For this, the inc/dec for the wings were made every fourth row. No I-cord made, and the increase was made by working two stitches into the first stitch of the inc row. Decreases were worked by lifting the front bar of one stitch, then both bars of the next stitch, pulling the yarn, and completing as a single stitch. A long, straight central panel was made - about a hundred rows I think - wasn't counting! More done by measuring against myself. Very free form... It could be worn in the summer as an alternative to my ubiquitous beanies, but I think I prefer it as a collar... What do you say? A little bit too pirate? (The colour is actually very turquoise, nowhere near the blue it looks here. Neither am I rose pink, but yet..)

I really like this collar and will make more like this, no doubt experimenting with stitch patterns! Working with a 3.5mm hook, the stitching was kept quite tight, resulting in the cute twist on the wings. I could, of course, press/block those out, but I like them, so I won't. 

Having tried the head wrap with this, I thought about using the first one in a similar manner and found it was perfect for this, so it will be used more on the head than the round neck... What have you all been up to with your hooks and pins, I wonder? (Or other crafty ways...)

Menoturals; Cattle Crew First Friday Filmclub

My word, it's that day again, the one where we share with the LLB gang our Nature Friday posts.

You were introduced to the Red Poll cattle last week. Today, we hear how farmer George Young from the county of Essex (one down from Suffolk, a little up and to the 'right' of London... for those less familiar with UK geography) has chosen to introduce the breed to his arable farm. He explains the ecological utility of the animal, its relative ease of care, the ethical place for the breed and how he will seek to utilise their yield. It's an informative and well-presented eight minutes, with some lovely shots of him patting his beasts! 

Menorminating: Situation What

March arrived - with a bang, for some. You don't need me to tell you of the despair and disgust felt here in The Hutch. 

So distraction is the need, the therapy. All my usual stuff: binge-watching, batch-listening, yarn-working mania. The yarn yarns have their place on Saturdays, so let me share a bit of the other. First, let me show you the contrast between the end of one month and the start of another:

After a couple of days of the blurgh, there was another morning of brightness before it all fell away once again. But when that brightness shows, the whole room becomes a palace...

I long for more than one day in ten of such light and warmth (it reached 9°C!) At least that was two days in the past seven. More will come, I'm just getting impatient now. I particularly wish it to be at least dry for the weekend after next. That's when my visitor will be here.

Anyhoo, for those of you who can access British-made dramas, I can recommend a four-parter called The Game. It may not be the most clever of plots, as such, but the interplay of the characters is what captured my interest - and with two of my favourite actors, Jason Watkins and Robson Green. Very bingeable.

Another series I have much appreciated (enjoyed isn't quite the right word for a program that deals with the subject matter it does), is called Catch Me A Killer. Micki Pistorius was the first serial killer profiler in South Africa, and this series is based on her autobiographical book of the same name. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you are keen on forensic policing and the courage of one woman to bring in this detective approach, then definitely give it a go.

Then it's the season of the cooking shows, so Masterchef Professionals and Great British Menu let slip three eps a week. 

For my Aussie fix, I have watched the latest season of Mystery Road Origin, as well as a documentary exploration show called Hunting Outback Gold. Highly recommended.

Recent podcasts have included:

Uncovered - from the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Investigative reporting of the true crime and revelatory nature... There are lots of seasons to pick from, so that'll take a while.

Crime Next Door - from BBC Sounds... can you access that from outside the UK? I'm sure it will be available on your chosen listening platform.

In case you are despairing that I am listening only to true crime, take heart. 

Joe Marler Will See You Now - total mayhem! I am giving the tubular link, although I watch it on Spotify. It is available to listen to only on BBC Sounds, but much of this daft show relies on the visual. I wonder if this item will work overseas? Joe is a retired Rugby player who has quite the line in patter/banter and has an ability to draw others out - hence the premise of the show.

Screw This - Let's Try Something Else - that's the Spotify link, but it is also available on Apple Podcasts, and I think that's all. A shame, because I think most of you would enjoy this program. It is only six eps and spends time with various community initiatives around the UK, from buying a farm to building a local wind turbine to creating hubs... It's a real feel-good, ground-roots kind of show, full of hope and positivity. A much-needed mood-lifter...

That'll do you for now. Roll on springtime!!!